I'll have a Harry Lime and a little zither music

Lately, I have found myself drawn to The Lives of Harry Lime.  I've always liked the radio show and of course, loved the film, The Third Man (which, if you have never seen it, you are truly missing one of the greatest achievements of not just just film, but art.)  I'm beginning to appreciate the radio show more as time goes on and I'm not sure why this is.

The writing has always been very good and of course, Orson Welles is Orson Welles; one needs to say no more.  Welles is absolutely perfect as the suave, smart-alecky thief - although to call Lime a "thief" is a lot like calling Norman Rockwell a "painter."  I can't think of anyone I'd rather "see" in the part of Lime.

As I am about half-way through the series, I don't know if it is that I am finally comfortable with Harry (as you probably know, he's a very seedy character) - or that the scripts are actually getting better.  They have been good all along, although some have been quite predictable.  Somehow, Welles makes it fun even when you know he's going to get caught.  It's as though Welles himself is a bit of a butterfly; if he does get caught, he's still beautiful and unable to be smashed.  Plus you know there is always going to be another show.

And the music of Anton Karas keeps rolling around in my head; I often awake at night to go to the potty only to hear the di-da-di-di-di de-da-di in my head and I am only in deeper trouble after I spend many, many minutes somedays, watching kids 9 years old play the song on the guitar as I sit in amazement:


I wonder how many of you have grasped that through the entire show we have the marvelously exotic and moody soundtrack, only to have the odd bit of non-Karas music thrown into almost every episode near the end?  It is a startling piece that I believe is put there because Harry usually gets his come upppance.

©Jimbo 2010/2011